static trapeze, rope and silks

Static Trapeze, Rope and Silks

Static Trapeze, Rope and Silks

Specific strength exercises1. Trapeze based exercises2. More advanced trapeze based exercises3. Rope based exercises4. Floor based exercises

Part 1 Static Trapeze1. Transitions1 Swingstand2 Basic Hang3 Basic Beat4 Tuck through5 Pop-off6 Beat in hocks hang to sit7 Skinners8 Skinners from hocks beat9 1 leg pop-on10 One leg skinners11 Back roll from sit12. Forward roll from stand13 Up and over from beat14 Up and over without beat

2. Basic Moves1 Birds nest under bar2 Birds nest on ropes3 Mermaid under bar4 Mermaid above bar5 Half angel forwards6 Half angel backwards7 Gazelle8 Amazon with supporting hand9 Amazon

3. Hangs1 Hocks hang2 Ankle hang3 Toe hang4 Heel hang

4. Balances1 Front balance2 Seat balance3 Back balance4 Waist balance5 Knee balance

5. Basic Drops6 Drop to front angel7 Sitting to ankle hang8 Skinners to ankles9 Front balance to catchers10 Front balance to 1 leg hocks11 Hocks direct

Part 2Rope and silk skills1. Climbs1 Basic climb2 Russian climb3 Toe climb4 Hocks climb5 Straddle/pike climb

Acclimatising to the rope- rest positions2. Rest positions1 Basic rest position2 Amazon3 Amazon on silks4 Foot lock

Cont

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Pag

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3. Inverting on the rope4. Inverted locks, hip locks and variations1 Half catchers2 Catchers hang3 Catchers with double wrap4 Hips lock5 Stag

5. Small drops1 Catchers drop2 Starfish

6. More advanced drops1 Hips lock salto2 Big drop3 Loop roll down4 Hocks hang (from loop)5 Hocks hang from standing6 Hocks cartwheel

7. More advanced positions1 Front balance2 Back balance

8. Hanging positions1 Flag2 Foothang

Part 3Skills on split tissues1 Roll ups2 Parachute3 Splits

Part 4Teaching Methodology1. The training programme2. The psychological basis of correctpreparation3. Safety4. Methods of stimulating the creative process1 Use of speed and tempo2 Changes in direction3 Continuing in the same direction4 Set movements with voluntary linkage5 2 on a rope

1

Specific Strength Exercises for Aerial Skills

Following are a number of exercises specifically designed to help strengthen for trapeze,rope and tissue. These are by no means exhaustive but will help to create a balancedprogramme of physical conditioning.

Following these specific exercises is a suggested circuit for general conditioning andstamina.

1.TRAPEZE BASED EXERCISES

Hanging Leg Lift- Keep the head in- Depress the shoulder blades- Avoid pulling through the shoulders- The angle between the arms and upper body shouldremain as open as possible to isolate the hip flexors T1

Pull ups- The body should remain static throughout- Depress the shoulder blades in hang- Lift the chest to the bar T2

Seated Pull up- Keep the legs horizontal- Elbows out- Keep the shoulder blades depressed T3

Skinning the Cat- The shoulder angle should be kept out as long aspossible to allow the legs to circle through- Coming back is as important as going through T4

Hang and Pull up in Shoulders- Depress the shoulder blades and pull the chesttowards the bar- Do not bend the arms T5

Front balance roll ups- Training for the muscles of the back and seat- Use a spotter to keep the legs from rising inearly stages T6

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Lifting legs to either side in Hang- During this the legs stay straight- Lift in all directions

T7

Hanging on one arm- Make sure the shoulder stays depressed- Alternate arms

T8

Catchers Hang Abdominal Curls- Avoid swinging into the curl- Do not strain the neck by pulling the head forwardstoo much- Elbows to knees

T9

Ankle Hang Hip Flex- As above, avoid swinging into the curl- Do not arch the back (if you have to do this thenyou need to build it up using an easier exercise- Fingers touch toes T10

2.MORE ADVANCED TRAPEZE BASED EXERCISES

Leg Lift and Extend to Invert- Complete leg lift and then close the shoulders,extending the body

T11

Chins in Pike- Keep the legs horizontal- Do not arch the back

T12

part1/ basic skills on trapeze

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Inverted Pull Us- The elbows should bend backwards and notoutwards- Lift as far as the chest

T13

Straight Body Lift (Bent arms)- Pull up, then pull the body to the bar straighteningthe arms- Repeat in reverse on the way down

T14

Straight Body Lift (Straight arms)- Very advanced- Lift through front planche keeping the body straight- Controlled descent

T15

One leg hocks hang

T16

3.ROPE BASED EXERCISES(These can also be carried out on one or two tissues)

Inverting (Tucked)- Start by using bent arms progress to straight

R1

Pull ups- The body remains static- Lift the chin to the hands

R2

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Leg Lifts (Piked)- To isolate the hip flexors try not to pull up inthe shoulders- The movement should only be in the hips and legs

R3

Curl ups (Straddled)- A more advanced form of this is to start and finishwith the legs horizontal

R4

Hanging from one hand- This should be timed and the performer tries toincrease the amount of time hanging

R5

4.FLOOR BASED EXERCISES

Dish on front and back- Arms can be put by the side to start with- When on the back the lower spine shouldnot be arched

F1

Press ups- These can be done with elbows backwards andhands narrow and with elbows sidewaysand hands wide

F2

V-Sits- Should be done with control up and down- The lower spine must be flat to the floor- Legs straight throughout

F3


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Abdominal Crunches- Keep the knees still and raise the chest to them- Do not pull the head with the hands

F4

Back Extensions- Raise the upper body- Hands can be by the sides, by the ears orarms extended

F5

Side Lifts- Maintain a straight position from fingers to toes- Put the upper hand on the floor to help balance

F6

Dish Rocks- The body position must remain the same throughout- Small rocks

F7

Rocks in Shoulder Stand- Hold wallbars on bottom rung- You can start with the hands higher to make it easier- Maintain body tension- Small movements

F8

Lifts up and down in Shoulder Stand- As above for hand position- Try to keep the body straight throughout

F9

Adductor Lifts- Lower leg is lifted- Keep a straight line form fingers to toes

F10

Abductor lifts- Upper leg is lifted- As above make sure the leg is lifted in linewith the body

F11

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Tension Bridge- Start with the hands just in front of the shouldersand move forwards with time- The back must remain straight, no arch

F12

5.WEIGHTS EXERCISES

Closing Shoulders (Straight arms)- Move only the arms- There should be no movement in the body

W1

Pullovers on bench- Weight starts at the waist and arms are maintainedslightly bent- Keep the back flat

W2

BASIC SKILLS ON STATIC TRAPEZE1 TRANSITIONS (Pre Skills)

These movements are not really tricks but are essential basics for learning more advancedmoves on the trapeze. The student should make sure their body is prepared by spendingtime on the conditioning exercises already shown then learn the following movementsuntil they are perfect before advancing onto the trapeze skills.

Swingstand (part 1)- Start from sittingShoulders back, slide bar to hocks-- Bend 1 leg and put toes on bar- Pull into ropes and push straight- leg down to floor

Swingstand (Part 2)- Slide hands up the ropes- Pull up and push with the leg- Place other leg on bar


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Basic Hang Position- The scapulae should be depressed inhang so the neck is long- First two pictures show correct position- Third picture shows incorrect position

Basic Beat- Start from pike- Beat the legs downwards andbackwards keeping tension in thelower back and legs

Tuck through to pike- This should be performed from abeat first and then from static- The legs should be brought upto the bar without pulling to muchin the shoulders in order to allowthe legs to squat through

Pop-off (bent legs)- From sitting to pike- Perform with bent legs in hock firstIts important to keep contactwith the bar- Do not let the shoulders fall back

Pop-off (straight legs)- As above, keep the legs straightand in contact with the bar

Beat in hocks hang to sit- Hocks beat, arms parallel, reach highat the end of the swing- Push down into the bar with the legs

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Skinners- From pike, hocks on, reach under thebar, grasp the ropes, pull backwardsinto backward roll to sit on the bar

Skinners from hocks beat- From beat bring the chest to the bar- Reach under the bar to hold ropes- Continue as for normal skinners

One leg pop-on- Use the free leg to swing and helpmomentum

One leg skinners- The free leg can help with themomentum- Keep the hocks leg tight on the baruntil sitting

Backward roll from sitting- Reach high with straight arms- Lift the legs, pull up and back roll totoes on bar,then roll body up to stand

Forward roll from stand to sit- Fold in half to pike- Lift feet off bar and forward roll- Pull up in the arms to arrive in sit

Up and over from beat- Aim the knees to the bar, and at thesame time start to pull up with thearms- Bring the hips to the bar, as the feetgo over and down raise the upperbody to a straight position


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Up and over without beat- This requires more strength than above

2/ Basic Moves

Birds Nest (Under bar)- Legs should stay straight- There should be a smooth curve all the way fromthe shoulders to the hips

Birds Nest (On ropes)- Same position as under bar with handson ropes

Mermaid (Under bar)

Mermaid (above bar)

Half angel forwards- The foot on the rope should be flexedbut not syckled

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Half angel backwards- As above- Drop the lower leg to maximum stretch

Gazelle- Turn the body to the side, bar betweencheeks(Picture 1)- Open the hips slightly with the bent leg- Straighten the other leg and lower thebody down into position

Amazon (with supporting hand)

Amazon (without support)

3/ Hangs

Hocks Hang- Hips should be pressed forward- Grip bar with the backs of the knees


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Ankle hang- Feet should be flexed- Push the ropes inwards with the feet

Toe Hang- The hips should be pressed forwards- The bar goes across the upper part ofthe foot, near the ankle

Heel Hag- Begin this on lunge- Open out slowly- Come up head first

4/ Balances

Front balance- Keep the chest up- Squeeze the buttocks- Balance under hip bone(this can vary from person to person)

Seat balance- Balance on the base of the pelvis- Sit back and lift the knees- Tighten the stomach- Keep balance with a minimal movementof the legs

Back Balance- Extend from the rib cage to the toes- The shoulders should be verticallydownwards Balance on the coccyx(this can vary)

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Waist balane- Balance in the middle of the lumbarspine- Arch over the bar- Keep the hips in alignment

Knee Balance- Balance on head of tibia- Hips should be back- Arms forwards

5/ Basic drops

Drop to front angel- From sitting take 1 leg to side- Do not pike, maintain dish- Move the shoulders back

Sitting to ankle hang- Take the shoulders back- Do not pike, maintain a dish

Skinner to ankles- Open out from skinners, straddling legs- Drop to ankles

Front balance to catchers- As you drop forwards start to open legs- Dont bend legs until they touch theropes- Extend forwards as you drop

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Front balance to 1 leg hocks- As you drop open one leg to the side- The other leg goes forwards

Hocks direct- From sitting lower the hips to hocks- Keep the back straight- Hocks beat to sit

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BASIC SKILLS ON ROPE

The following skills and drills are presented only as a guide to the basic requirementsfor beginning to create a vocabulary on the rope and silks. All of the skills shown onthe rope can also be performed on silks, but there is a separate section at the end forskills performed on both silks. Whilst the movements generally progress from simpleto more complex the student does not necessarily need to learn them in the sequenceshown. This series of skills is by no means exhaustive, the student can learn thesemovements but then must use his or her own imagination to connect them in a waywhich is creative and entertaining. Further skills can be learned by experimentation butthis should be done under the direction of an experienced teacher. Remember also thatthe movements shown here are only possible if the body performing them is physicallycorrectly prepared.

1/ Climbs

Basic Climb- The base foot should be kept squareand not syckledPush the base leg slightly forwardsas you climb- Use the ball of the upper foot topush the rope against the base foot- Depress the shoulders and open thechest as you climb to use corestrength

Russian Climb- The upper knee should remain alittle bent whilst keeping the ropebetween the knees. This stops thetwist of the knee.

Toe Climb- Spread the toes and roll over fromthe bottom of the flexed foot to anextended foot with the heel lifted- Keep the top leg straight- Stand up on the foot as the bottomtoes bring the rope up behind- Keep the body close to the rope

Hocks Climb- Turn the climbing knee slightlysideward as it reaches the rope,to ensure a tight lock on the rope.- Point the foot to hold the lock- Lift the lower leg as you climb toprovide extra friction to grip as in4th picture- It is easier to invert from bent arms

part2/ basic skills on Rope

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Straddle/Pike Climb- Learn this as adescent first until strong enough toclimb- Easier versions include, bending theknees in tuck and pike

2/ ACCLIMATISING TO THE ROPE-REST POSITIONS

Basic Rest Position:- Hook the elbows around the rope- It can be done in squat as well(picture 2), ensure the rope istrapped in the groin; pull the legacross the body.

Amazon- Extend leading arm as far past theshoulder blade as possible- Release the feet a little and re-gripto get a straight body in the position

Amazon on tissues

Foot Lock- Hang hips away from the rope- Have the feet in front of you at hipheight to make the lock- Make sure you push a long enoughpiece of rope away with the free foot- In these pictures the left foot wrapsthe rope underneath the right foot

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3/ Inverting on the Rope

In order to build up the strength for inverting on the rope there are a number of progressivestages which can be followed, these are:

1.Bend the arms and pull the legs up apart and bent straightening the arms and legswhen the hips are fully above the head.2.Bend the arms and lift the legs in straddle straightening the arms when inverted3.Bend the arms and lift the legs in pike (together)4.Repeat 1. with straight arms5.Repeat 2. with straight arms6.Repeat 3. with straight arms

4/ Inverted Locks, Hip Locks (keys) and Variations

Half Catchers- As you put the leg on the rope thehips should lift above the hands- Reach over the head, not behind theback to find tail of rope- Immediately as you grab the tail ofrope release the hand in the groin

Catchers Hang- As half catchers- Try and keep the hips level and thebody hanging straight down with thehips relaxed.- Variations can include knees togetheror apart, or both legs straight.

Catchers with double wrap- Hips Lock (Method 1)- Go in as if doing hocks climb- Lift bottom leg up as you push topleg down and turn into the rope, thishelps get the rope into the groin andnot wrapped around the leg.- Fold in half quickly and release thetop hand

Hips Lock from hocks climb ontissues

Hips Lock from Scissor- Try learning it from standing on theground, one leg in front of the rope,one leg behind. Then lift the legs upand scissor them to pick up the ropeand turn towards it.It helps to keep the legs wide here.


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Stag- Start from position 3 in catchers(previous page)- Pull the body into the rope, dont letit fall away- Bring the arm under the opposite kneeto grasp the rope- Ensure the rope remains squeezedbehind the knee as you bring the bodyupright

Swing the straightened leg downwardsto bring the body upright

5/ Small drops

Catchers drop- From catchers pull the rope at thehips to make a loop approximately60cm- At the same time, hold the rope in thegroin- Keep the knees together- Release hands and drop

Catchers Baby drop (Starfish)- From catchers hang, bring the ropein front of the body- Extend the arms and legs, maintainbody tension in a star shape.

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6/ MORE ADVANCED DROPS

Preparation for Hips Lock Salto

Start from hip lock- Top hand reaches high enough todrag the front of the shin through thegap, keep foot pointed.- Keep the hips vertical against therope to maintain the lock- Reach high with the hand and pullhard to bring the rope behind theback as you stand up- Ensure the rope is between your legs

Hips Lock Salto- Place both hands above the headand arch the back- Release and kick with the legs- As you circle, catch the rope that wasbehind you and pull your body into it.- You can learn first by reaching for therope with one hand and then joiningit with the second hand.

Big Drop Preparation (part 1)- From catchers, change legs on therope and put the rope over the freeleg- Change legs again, the rope will betrapped beneath itself at the groin- Wrap the rope around the free leg

Big Drop Preparation (Part 2)- Then wrap it in front of the body andaround the back- Extend the arms, holding the tail ofthe rope away from the body andover the head

Big Drop (Part 3)- Release the top leg, holding a flatstar shape with tension in themid-section- Keeping the legs wide slows downthe roll, legs together increases thespeed.


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Loop roll down Making a loopFrom standing, right leg climb, squatdown pick up the rope in the lefthand and take it to the top hand.Hold both parts of the rope togetherand extend the loop away.Unwrap the right leg and push itthrough coming into a sitting position

Loop roll down- Wrap the rope around itself, pushthe legs forwards, shortening theloop, holding the rope at the hip.

Loop roll down- Maintain body tension throughoutthe roll, hands turn with the body

Hocks hang (from loop)- As you push the legs through theloop, keep them straight and slightly apart- Knees should be facing up beforeyou bend them onto the rope- Squeeze the rope behind the kneesas you lower the hips and point the feet.

- Move the right hand above theknees as the left hand moves down the rope and pushes it upwards tomake a seat for the knees- Release right hand as the bodylowers, slowly release the left hand- Keeping the left hand there toolong will pull the rope out of theknee grip

Hocks hang from standing- Left leg climb, right leg hocks ontothe rope- Left hand reaches beneath theknees and pushes the rope up asthe knees squeeze it.

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Hocks cartwheel- From hocks, take the rope in frontof the body and around the back- The right hand holds the rope closest to the knees- The left hand holds the rope awayover the head

- You can release both legs togetherbut it is more controlled when yourelease one at a time- At the bottom of the roll arch theupperback, look up and make a strongcrucifix position with the arms- For beginners just do half a wrap(see last picture).

7/ More Advanced Positions

Front Balance- From standing- Slide the bottom hand down quickly under the hip to make a seat for the body as you bring both legs to oneside of the rope.- Fold in half quickly and immediatelytake top hand off

Back Balance- Get into this from half catchersposition- The rope lies on the hips and notthe waist- The bottom arm is straight andpushing against the hip.- The top hand should be released assoon as the body is in position andthe head held back- Get the weight of the arm past thehead

Less flexible students could trywidening and bending the legs


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8/ Hanging Positions

Flag- The hand can be either way up- Make sure the arms are at fullstretch with tension- Push the bottom hand down andout- The bottom arm should be at 90or slightly more, not less

Foothang- Let the top foot sit alongside thebase foot as you lower the body- Keep the base leg straight to helpthe foot go into the correct place forthe hang- Flex the foot and dont syckle- Place the outside of the footagainst the rope pushing against it

PART3 Skills on split tissues

Roll ups- Start with left foot lock- Drop forwards to left side, pull upand turn to right through the tissue- Repeat

To exit reverse the process above

Parachute- Start from straddle invert, wrap thelegs outside and then inside the tissues- Trap the tissues between the legs

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- Wrap around the back and thenthe front- Hold the tissues and then rotateforwards, arms to the sides

Splits- Start from foot lock on one leg- Sit down on foot, wrap tissue aroundother foot to make foot lock

- Sit down on heels- Reach up to hold tissues and splitlegs

Roll ups- Start with left foot lock- Drop forwards to left side, pull upand turn to right through the tissue- Repeat

To exit reverse the process above

Parachute- Start from straddle invert, wrap thelegs outside and then inside the tissues- Trap the tissues between the legs

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Teaching Methodology

1/ THE TRAINING PROGRAMME

When planning the training programme for any individual it is necessary to considerthe relative strengths and weaknesses of the student. However, when dealing with anew student it is probably necessary to increase the general level of their fitness andstrength before doing anything else. It is not possible to do the job of a Ferrari withthe engine of a Citroen CV!

Training for aerial skills in the first year should emphasise physical preparation. Oncethe body is physically ready then the skills can be developed. The means to do thishave already been shown in this manual, but below we take a look at an example ofa programme for a student in his or her first year of learning trapeze, rope or silks.

Obviously not all students are learning full time so we look first at an example for atwo hour session for a part time student.

Programme:1. 15 minutes directed warm-up2. 30 minutes basic conditioning circuit including basic climbs / trapeze transitions andbasic skills3. 45 minutes skill learning/training of personal figures4. 20 minutes specific conditioning (This can be alternated with stretching exercises,depending on the range of movement of the student)5. 10 minutes warm down and stretch

Full time students would do a similar session but probably longer. Their training wouldalso include separate time with a choreographer, perhaps a nominated conditioningteacher and time to stretch and warm down.

Teachers should be aware that when they start a student in training they are preparingthem for something which may not come to fruition for years, but unless they plant theroots correctly there will be no fruit. The basic techniques are the most important partof an individuals training because it is this that he or she builds everything else upon.

There is no magic to producing high level skills, there are only the correct ingredients:

Physical preparationBasic trainingCorrect development from the basicsIncorporation of skills into a personal artistic framework

2/ THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BASIS OF CORRECT PREPARATION

The physical reasons for correct preparation have been explained many times and whilstthis is not always listened to there are also sound psychological reasons for preparingyour performer correctly.

Evaluate the skill first in terms of its physical requirements and if your student is lackingmake sure that the appropriate conditioning is done first. There is nothing more de-motivating for a performer than being pushed into a skill which he or she is not readyfor. Being physically prepared will help to overcome any psychological doubts as well.

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The old saying success breeds success was never truer than when learning physicalskills. The teacher must design a series of steps to learning each skill, and the studentmust become successful at each of these steps. This doesnt mean that once he or shehas achieved it once then its time to go onto the next step. Each step must be completelymastered and repeated hundreds of times. Each time the student achieves a new stepit takes some time for him or her to become comfortable at that stage. Imagine a seriesof platforms, each time the individual scales a platform it is further from the ground.It takes time to become accustomed to that level.

If a student moves on to the next level and is not happy then they can come back tothe earlier level and regain confidence. In this way, if somebody learns a skill and thenloses it there is always a platform underneath where they can start to build it again.From day to day the teacher must ensure that the demands he or she is making of thestudent are within that individuals physical and mental capabilities. Therefore the studentmust be prepared physically and mentally for the tasks ahead. It is no use starting himor her off on a skill which is beyond his or her strength and range of movement toachieve.

Hence the reasons for this type of preparation are two-fold:1) Success at each stage breeds confidence to carry on to the next level without fear2) If the skill breaks down at a later date the student has a history of success at lowerlevels of that skill and can go back to the appropriate level to relearn it.

When a skill has been achieved once the learning process is far from over. There arehundreds of reasons why it could break down during a performance with the stress ofan audience. The only way to ensure maximum stability is to repeat it hundreds of timesbefore including it in a number.

Remember, confidence is built on the back of success, success is only achieved throughgood preparation.

3/ SafetyThe safety of performers is obviously of the highest importance when teaching aerialskills. In order to make sure students are safe a number of conditions must be met.

1. Is the student physically and mentally prepared for the task?This has already been covered above. Generally if a student has been prepared physicallyand with the correct pre-requisite skills there should not be a problem with fear. If thereis still a problem then the teacher must discuss this problem with the student and seekto find ways to overcome it. If a student is fearful of a skill then this can lead toaccidents arising from lack of commitment .

2. Is the teacher knowledgeable and experienced enough to teach the skill correctlyand in a safe manner?Any teacher should only teach to a standard at which they are competent. If a studentrises above that level then the teacher must seek assistance from somebody moreexperienced and qualified.

3. Is the apparatus to be used suitable for the task and in good condition?The use of inappropriate equipment or equipment in bad condition can lead to accidents.Rigging points should be checked regularly, ropes and wires also. Most professionalfacilities have a regular checklist for equipment safety.

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4. Have all the possible means of ensuring safety been considered?Many skills require a student to be lunged in the early stages. The teacher must becompetent in using a lunge or make sure that the lunge is held by somebody who is.Safety mats should be used whenever possible and skills should be taught at a safeheight until the student is competent to progress higher. Other safeguards such as resinor chalk for the hands must also be considered.

To protect themselves teachers should be aware of the basic laws of Health and Safety,make sure they are covered with public liability insurance, understand correct proceduresand know their own limitations.

There are inherent risks in performing aerial circus skills but these can be reduced toa minimum by following the guidelines above. Any teacher is obliged to show that bestpossible practice has been applied in the teaching of any student.

4/ Methods of stimulating the creative process

All the skills learned on trapeze, rope or silks are useless without a creative frameworkto put them in. This is a very personal area and not something which can be quantified.Performers can work with a choreographer, but from the earliest stages of learning theyshould be encouraged to place the skills they have learned into a performance.

For the teacher there are a number of ways in which they can help to stimulate thisprocess, using games, drills, musical devices and so on. Following are just a few waysin which this can be done. This is by no means exhaustive, the ways in which this canbe done are only limited by your own imagination.

The use of speed and tempo:As the student progresses through a series of movements of his or her own creation,the series is stopped with a clap or call. The student must stop in whatever positionthey are in at that time. Afterwards, following another clap or call they continue but ata completely different tempo. They can start fast or slow, but they must change eachtime after they are stopped.

Changes in direction:As above, the student progresses through a sequence of their own making, when theclap or call comes they stop and then must continue afterwards in a different direction.This can be combined with the above to include changes in direction and tempo.

Continuing in the same direction:This time, after the stop the student must continue in the same direction with the samebody part leading the movement. You can alter this so that a different body part mustlead.

Set movements with voluntary linkage:The student is given a number of skills which must be included in a sequence. The wayhe or she gets from one to the next is up to them. This is a useful exercise when youhave a class which includes performers of different levels, because they can each interpretthe instructions at their own level.

This can be given a new meaning by using different types of music and making thestudents interpret the same series of movements to these differing pieces.

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Two on a rope:One student is asked to perform a short series of movements on the rope or silk, asecond student then climbs up to take over but the take over must include a physicaldialogue between the two as the lower student replaces the higher one. This can bemade into a complete series with a whole class of students as each one takes over fromthe one before.

Remember:

1. These aerial activities are personal by nature and such the student should be giventhe chance to express themselves artistically at every level. So even when learning fromthe beginning, time should be given for individual expression. The student needs to begiven the autonomy to create his or her own performance within the parameters of theavailable skills.2 The quality of movement at each level is of great importance, and even skills I thatare being learned can be performed with different qualities of movement and differentexpression.

Ezra Groenen in her notes regarding the artistic expression of aerial movements says:

Link up with what has been dealt with in dance (intention, quality of movement etc),when possible operate the various elements in several ways:

- dynamic- static- varying speeds

Carry out research on yourself. always try to bear in mind the artistic components,especially concerning simple elements such as climbing. Apply them even during warm-ups. Avoid purely gymnastic routines even in series(do them with a purpose or varythe purpose whilst varying the body movements)

Man

ual fo

r St

atic

Tra

peze

, Ro

pe a

nd S

ilks


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